Sutter Health pediatrician on what to know about keeping kids safe in the heat

IT WILL REALLY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. WELL, THE TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT WE’VE BEEN SEEING CAN BE DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY FOR LITTLE ONES. DOCTOR BEATRICE TETA IS A PEDIATRICIAN WITH SUTTER HEALTH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR, FOR JOINING US HERE AT 4:00. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. DOCTOR. HOW HOT IS TOO HOT TO BE OUTSIDE? AND WHAT IF YOU’RE IN THE POOL OR AT A SPLASH PAD OR SOME OTHER SOURCE OF WATER? RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN A TIME WHEN WE HAVE TRIPLE DIGIT WEATHER THAT IS NOT JUST THE HEAT, IT’S ALSO THE HUMIDITY THAT’S MAKING IT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE WE’RE LOOKING FOR SIGNS OF HEAT STROKE, HEAT STROKE, AND HEAT EXHAUSTION ARE CONDITIONS WHERE YOUR BODY JUST CANNOT COOL DOWN AND THESE ARE EMERGENCY LEVEL ISSUES THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS. AND PREVENT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. IF YOU’RE GOING OUT TO THE POOL OR TO THE SPLASH PAD OR THE WATER PARK, THOSE ARE GREAT WAYS TO TEMPORARILY COOL OFF. BUT MAKE SURE YOU’RE TAKING TIME TO TAKE A BREAK. DRINKING PLENTY OF FLUIDS BECAUSE YOU’RE LOSING A LOT OF FLUID AS YOU SWEAT. ALSO, WHEN YOU’RE MOVING AROUND, YOU’RE BURNING ENERGY. THAT WAY YOU NEED TO STAY WELL HYDRATED, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN LIKE INFANTS. EVEN THOUGH WE LIKE TO WRAP THEM UP IN BLANKETS, THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHERE YOU WANT TO KEEP THEM IN JUST A ONESIE, OR EVEN IN JUST THEIR DIAPER. AND IF YOU FEEL WARM IN A SETTING, THEY’RE LIKELY FEELING WARM AS WELL. SO USING AIR CONDITIONING OR MAKING SURE THAT THEY’RE FEELING COOL ENOUGH IN A HOT, HOT WEATHER LIKE THIS, USING A FAN IS NOT ALWAYS AS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT WILL JUST BLOW THE AIR AROUND. USUALLY AN AIR CONDITIONED SETTING IS GOING TO BE BEST TO HELP YOURSELF COOL OFF. THESE ARE KEY TIMES. ALSO TO UTILIZE COOLING CENTERS. GOING TO THE LOCAL LIBRARY OR GOING TO OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE AIR CONDITIONING TO COOL OFF. AT THIS TIME. USING A FAN AT HOME. IF YOU DON’T HAVE AIR CONDITIONING, IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS. THOSE ARE ALL SUCH GREAT TIPS, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE FAN. YOU DON’T REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT. YOU’RE JUST KIND OF HOPING FOR ANYTHING TO COOL YOU DOWN. WHAT SIGNS SHOULD PARENTS WATCH FOR IN KIDS, ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT THEY AREN’T FEELING RIGHT OR THAT THEY FEEL HOT? EXCELLENT QUESTION. LOOKING FOR IF A CHILD IS NOT RESPONSIVE TO WHEN YOU’RE CALLING THEIR NAME, IF THEY LOOK LIKE THEY’RE UNCONSCIOUS, IF SOMEONE LOOKS, IF THEY’RE OLD ENOUGH TO SPEAK AND THEY SEEM DISORIENTED, OR IF THEY SEEM, UM, UNABLE TO SORT OF UNDERSTAND WHAT’S HAPPENING OR IF THEY’RE SPEAKING TO YOU AND THEIR SPEECH DOES NOT MAKE SENSE OR IF THEY’RE SHOWING SIGNS OR BEHAVIORS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY’RE HAVING A SEIZURE. THOSE ARE USUALLY SIGNS OF HEAT STROKE OR HEAT EXHAUSTION. THE FIRST STEP IS GOING TO BE GETTING THEM INTO AN AREA THAT’S COOL. GETTING THEM OUT OF THE SUN, AND LIKELY IF THEY’RE NOT, IF THEY’RE SHOWING SIGNS OF A SEIZURE, THEY NEED TO CALL EMERGENCY AUTHORITIES, GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, CALL 911. IF YOU IF YOU REALIZE THAT A KID IS DEHYDRATED, WOULD YOU GIVE THEM WATER SPORTS DRINK. WHICH ONE SHOULD SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST PLAN OF ATTACK WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING TO REHYDRATE A CHILD? WHEN IT COMES TO REHYDRATION, IT’S GOING TO BE WHATEVER THEY’RE GOING TO DRINK WITH KIDS. WHEN THEY’RE IN HOT WEATHER LIKE THIS. DRINKING ANYTHING. SOMETHING WORKS. WHEN YOU’RE SICK, YOU USUALLY GO FOR THE ELECTROLYTE MIXES. THIS IS WHERE EVEN A POPSICLE IS A GREAT OPTION BECAUSE IT’S SOMETHING THEY CAN TAKE SLOWLY, AND IT HELPS MAKE SURE THEY’RE STILL GETTING LIQUID IN THEIR BODIES. BUT IT’S ALSO NICE AND COLD, AND IT’S A NICE TREAT ON A HOT DAY. ALL RIGHT. GREAT ADVICE. GREAT WISDOM THERE, DOCTOR BE